Coton Hill stone flow

[Jacob Porrett]

Anyone know what's happened to the Coton Hill stone flow from Tinsley Yard that works 6M05 then 6F05 either to Wellingborough or Leicester? It hasn't ran for a while now.

 

[Adrian Barr]

I'm not sure, but I think the stone trains out of Coton Hill have always been a bit "sporadic" compared to some other aggregate flows, so it wouldn't surprise me to see them stop for a while and then resume.

The most recent photo I can see to Coton Hill on flickr was a 6Z05 from Bardon Hill to Coton Hill on 11 April, with empty hoppers passing through Shrewsbury for loading.

The Coton Hill - Tinsley flow is part of GBRF's Aggregate Industries contract. I think the Coton Hill services more or less run "as required" as part of a network of trains between various Aggregate Industries terminals, so the trains may stop for a while even though the flow is still "live."

The Aggregate Industries terminal at Tinsley serves a big asphalt plant, with a newer ready mix concrete plant alongside (opened in 2019). Apparently the material loaded at Coton Hill is a skid-resistant road surfacing product "High PSV" which comes from a nearby site at Haughmond Hill, so sending trains of it to an asphalt plant makes sense.

I think the first stone trains out of Coton Hill, in EWS days, loaded stone from a different source. A 2013 YouTube video "TRAINS - Leaving Coton Hill Yard" (by Swifty Morgan) mentions Bayston Hill as the source of the stone, which is a quarry owned by Tarmac that used to have its own rail loading siding south of Shrewsbury on the Hereford line.

The current loading facilities at Coton Hill are shown in this nice photo taken last year - 66793 Coton Hill

 

[Jacob Porrett]

I'm not sure, but I think the stone trains out of Coton Hill have always been a bit "sporadic" compared to some other aggregate flows, so it wouldn't surprise me to see them stop for a while and then resume.

The most recent photo I can see to Coton Hill on flickr was a 6Z05 from Bardon Hill to Coton Hill on 11 April, with empty hoppers passing through Shrewsbury for loading.

The Coton Hill - Tinsley flow is part of GBRF's Aggregate Industries contract. I think the Coton Hill services more or less run "as required" as part of a network of trains between various Aggregate Industries terminals, so the trains may stop for a while even though the flow is still "live."

The Aggregate Industries terminal at Tinsley serves a big asphalt plant, with a newer ready mix concrete plant alongside (opened in 2019). Apparently the material loaded at Coton Hill is a skid-resistant road surfacing product "High PSV" which comes from a nearby site at Haughmond Hill, so sending trains of it to an asphalt plant makes sense.

I think the first stone trains out of Coton Hill, in EWS days, loaded stone from a different source. A 2013 YouTube video "TRAINS - Leaving Coton Hill Yard" (by Swifty Morgan) mentions Bayston Hill as the source of the stone, which is a quarry owned by Tarmac that used to have its own rail loading siding south of Shrewsbury on the Hereford line.

The current loading facilities at Coton Hill are shown in this nice photo taken last year - 66793 Coton Hill

Thank you for all of this information. I really appreciate it. Interesting to know what's going on at the moment.

 

[train_lover]

Contract is still in place however it's been cancelled at the request of the customer. As you mentioned it's a rather hit and miss as to whether it runs. It's not running this week either. I for one hope to see it return soon as I enjoy working it.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Contract is still in place however it's been cancelled at the request of the customer. As you mentioned it's a rather hit and miss as to whether it runs. It's not running this week either. I for one hope to see it return soon as I enjoy working it.

Ah right ok. Me too because it brings a variety of 66s through then the one 66 each month on the cement.

 

[Dr Hoo]

6M01 Tinsley-Bardon running in the ‘shared’ Coton Hill path. E.g. today at Sheffield.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

6M01 Tinsley-Bardon running in the ‘shared’ Coton Hill path. E.g. today at Sheffield.

At least that flow is still running then which is good to see.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Good news. 66724 is on the stone train today and it's actually running in what seems like weeks/months.


https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H24602/2022-06-06/detailed